


Scotsman's Embrace

by summoner_yuna_of_besaid



Series: Best Destinies [2]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Charlie X, Episode Related, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, slow building romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 10:59:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summoner_yuna_of_besaid/pseuds/summoner_yuna_of_besaid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the terrible ordeal with Charlie and his psychic powers, Uhura finds herself falling prey to her grief.  Luckily, there's someone there to hold her through it.</p>
<p>Set directly after the episode "Charlie X".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scotsman's Embrace

No matter the mission, the end of it was always cleansing in an exhausting way; like taking a shower after a harsh workout. But some were harsher, more draining than others. The incident with Charlie and all that occurred whilst the boy was on the ship had bled Uhura dry. She felt raw, as if someone had reached in and scooped her insides out, leaving an empty darkness which tugged on her mind, her energy, her will. 

The mission had been hard on everyone but for Uhura there was a personal pain which put a nasty taste in her mouth. Nyota did not like being powerless. She worked hard for control in her life, to always be capable of acting and reacting in a way that didn’t leave her dependent on others, or on chance.

Charlie took all of that and threw it out the window. All her knowledge, her training, her expertise made irrelevant by an adolescent brat who treated people like toys. The thought of Janice at his mercy, of the horrid idea that the Captain might not have been able to stop him, might not…

Uhura’s legs finally gave out and she slumped against the wall, shivering. The reality of a god-like being able to control everything, to take away all thoughts of consent, and who had had poor Janice trapped, who’d taken people’s faces and their lives and… Biting her lip, Uhura fought the urge to sob and slid to the floor, clutching her knees.

“Lieutenant? Lieutenant!”

A lightning-shock of realization hit Uhura and she struggled to stand, wiping at her face rapidly. “Forgive me, sir, I…” Red eyed and still wobbly, she remained close to the wall, clenching her fists in the hopes it would give her strength. She forced her gaze to rise and was surprised at the sight; not the Captain or the First Officer, as she’d thought, but… the head of engineering?

His eyes were narrowed at her, his posture aimed forward as if he might move at any moment, and in her state of mind with her frayed nerves Uhura almost flinched. She kept her bearing only barely, and spoke in the hopes of getting him to leave quickly so she could stumble to her quarters and fall apart.

“I apologize sir, I did not – I wasn’t…” But she had no idea what to say, how to explain her behavior, which only heightened her nerves, made her palms sweat and her heart pound. She fought the urge to drop her head; but when she felt hands gently grip her upper arms, her gaze dropped to them. Wide eyed, she looked back up. “Mr. Scott?”

His eyes were kind and soft and his posture no longer tense and ready for action, but relaxed and comforting, open. His hands on her arms tugged on her lightly, but she didn’t move, her brow furrowing in confusion. 

“Sir, what are you…?”

“It’s all right, Lieutenant.” The engineer murmured quietly, his rough baritone and thick accent creating a tone which seemed more than comforting, almost caressing. Uhura met his eyes and realized all her posturing and building up walls didn’t fool him or faze him in the slightest.

Later, she would not remember who moved first, but then he was holding her and she was sobbing into his chest, gripping his shirt so tight her nails were probably digging into his skin. He didn’t complain, just wrapped his arms around her shoulders and murmured little nothings in that husky brogue, things like “Let it out lass,” and “Shush now, it’s all right”. They stood there for who knows how long, and with time it almost seemed that he was shaking too, trembling hands gripping her shirt a little too tight. She didn’t say a word.

Eventually tears dried and yet they remained together, wrapped around one another in the empty hall with only the ship watching. The fog of misery began rolling back, and Uhura vaguely realized that Mr. Scott was very warm, his broad chest a strong and steady comfort. With reluctance she forced herself to move away, and if she didn’t know better, she’d say the engineer’s arms dropped with the same slow reluctance.

They stood only a foot from each other, their uniforms wrinkled and wet, her face tear stained and eyes red, and his eyes a little teary too. They smiled at one another, dancing on their feet, awkward tension descending where comfort had been before.

“… Thank you, Mr. Scott.”

“Call me Scotty.” He murmured quietly, and the way his voice danced over his name had Uhura’s chest clenching.

“Scotty, then.” She smiled. “Thank you.”

The man nodded fervently, eyes moving as if he couldn’t think of what to look at. “… you’re welcome.”

Quiet tension came back, as Scotty wiped his palms on his slacks and Uhura clenched her hands. The woman found herself overreacting, overanalyzing what had just happened, trying to decide exactly what she should say. She couldn’t think of anything. Oh, damn it all! To be a communications officer, so skilled with language and discussion, and unable to think of anything to say for herself…!

“Do you, uh… could I escort you to your room?” Uhura’s head snapped up to see Scotty’s eyes widening, his pale Scottish complexion going brick red. “That is, I…”

She smiled and tried to ignore the fluttering in her chest. “Yes, I… I’d like that.” The man beamed in reply, sticking out his arm. She gave a quiet laugh as she ran her arm through the space, locking elbows, and they walked towards her cabin in peaceful silence.

The departed with simple farewells; she smiled and waved nervously, whilst he grinned and nodded his head, stepping back without turning away, his hands still running over his slacks. The door shut him from her, and she fell against the wall once he was gone.

The pain was still there; though the release had done her good, she now she felt more empty than raw. She was exhausted and drained the way she was after any good cry. It would take time, and the distraction of work, to move on completely. But she would most certainly not forget the good engineer’s kind assistance or his handsome smile.

She should really go look for Janice, but her mind and heart weren’t in it. Guiltily, she thought her own pain was slight in comparison, but she was in no place to help others. No, she decided, she would help herself first; she would rest and put the walls that enabled her to work through such horrid things back around her heart. Then she would help her friend. 

As she collapsed onto her bed fully clothed and closed her eyes, the image of a dark haired, bright eyed Scotsman danced in front of her eyes. She had, admittedly, thought of him before… but now she had real experience to back up her dreams. And so as she succumbed to sleep, she didn’t have nightmares of the God-boy and his horrendous machinations; she dreamt of a lilting voice and a warm embrace holding her through the night.


End file.
